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and enforcement.
Education
Building environmental awareness and stewardship, changing attitudes and influencing the decisions of tomorrow by educating policy makers, students and the wider community about the biggest threats to the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds and solutions to address those threats.
Field Work
Patrolling the Santa Barbara Channel and its tributaries to identify and deter pollution and respond to citizen reports of pollution. We conduct scientific research to investigate critical threats facing our waters, and collect and disseminate scientifically sound water quality data.
Advocacy
Representing our community’s interest in clean water by providing expert, science-based stakeholder advocacy and testifying before government officials to influence policies to better protect our waters and habitats.
Enforcement
Ensuring that entities, both public and private, comply with environmental laws, and that government agencies enforce those laws. Channelkeeper occasionally uses citizen lawsuits to protect the public interest in clean water and healthy aquatic habitats.
5.9k
VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED41k
KIDS EDUCATED37k
LBS OF TRASH CLEARED-
CHANNELKEEPER NEWS
Volunteers and Fishermen Clear Lobster Traps from Local Beaches
On Saturday, April 20th, twenty-five volunteers with Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and members of the commercial fishing community and Tidy Seas worked together to remove more than fifty lobster traps that had washed ashore between Goleta Beach and More Mesa.
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CHANNELKEEPER NEWS
Santa Barbara City Council Approves Changes to the Cruise Ship Program
On April 9, 2024, the Santa Barbara City Council voted in favor of improving the City of Santa Barbara’s Cruise Ship Program with measures to limit the number of ships calling on Santa Barbara and prioritize those ships with advanced pollution prevention technology and solid environmental compliance records.
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CHANNELKEEPER NEWS
Channelkeeper Joins Lawsuit to Protect Communities and Waters from Agricultural Pollution
On October 27th, Channelkeeper joined a coalition of environmental organizations, Latino and farmworker community groups, and fishing organizations in filing a lawsuit against the Water Boards, challenging their decisions on enforceable limits and buffer areas.
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Our Blog
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April 23, 2024
Planting the Seeds of Environmental Stewardship Through Art
An interview with this year’s Student Art Show Juror, Kelly Clause Every spring for the past twenty-one years, Channelkeeper’s Student Art Show has celebrated the connection between young people and the ocean. High school students from Carpinteria to Goleta are invited to create their interpretations of what the Santa Barbara Channel means to them. The […]
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March 27, 2024
Building Meaningful Careers: An Interview with MPA Watch Interns
Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs, are underwater sanctuaries that provide safe havens for marine wildlife. Channelkeeper’s MPA Watch program trains and engages community volunteers to observe and record human uses of coastal and marine resources both inside and outside of marine protected areas (MPAs) along the Santa Barbara coast. Using standardized protocols volunteers and program […]
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March 13, 2024
Channelkeeper Seeks Answers in the Wake of Goleta Slough and Beach Sewage Spill
More than 1 million gallons of untreated sewage spilled from a 24-inch forcemain pipe maintained by Goleta West Sanitary District on February 16 and 17, polluting the Goleta Slough and nearby beaches. This is the largest spill reported in Santa Barbara County in the past decade. In fact, it is more than 100 times greater […]
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Watershed Brigade
The Watershed Brigade is a community of volunteers dedicated to keeping our local watersheds and beaches clean. Brigade members remove trash from trails, creeks, rivers, urban areas, and beaches, act as environmental stewards, and collect trash data used to help reduce pollution at its source. And it’s fun! Volunteers earn points that make them eligible for perks and prizes.
Corporate Challenge
The Watershed Brigade’s Corporate Challenge is a fun and effective way for your company to make a difference in our community and earn points to compete against other local businesses. Gain community-wide visibility while your company takes positive steps for the environment.
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It's up to all of us to protect the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds
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Please feel free to contact us today with questions or comments.